Mar 02

Google adding web-based in-app payments, probably some time in May

Posted in: Android, Google, rumor, speculation, Today's Chili, web

It’s not enough that you’ll soon be able to make in-app purchases on Android, Google wants to give you an outlet for your app spending online as well. The search giant is hard at work turning last year’s acquisition of Jambool and its Social Gold software into a web-based in-app payments platform it can call its own. Jambool’s proprietors have word that Google’s system is now in beta, which has led it to close new signups for the Social Gold offering, ahead of halting payment processing entirely on May 31st. That should serve as a pretty reliable guide for when to expect Google to flip the switch on its in-app purchasing service, which we’re hearing will include some level of integration with Google Checkout and Google accounts. As TechCrunch points out, the next Google I/O gathering is scheduled for May 10th — sounds about the right time for us to be introduced to this new, app-based way for separating us from our hard-earned cash.

Google adding web-based in-app payments, probably some time in May originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 09:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TechCrunch  |  sourceJambool  | Email this | Comments

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Mar 02

HTC ChaCha to be known as ChaChaCha in Spain, somebody didn’t do enough market research

Posted in: Android, HTC, Today's Chili

As it turns out, the word “chacha” is used as a term of disparagement in the Spanish language. Coincidentally, perhaps after somebody hit HTC’s marketing genii with a Spanish phrasebook, the HTC ChaCha will hereafter be known as the ChaChaCha in the land of sun, sand and siestas. This follows mobile search engine ChaCha suing for trademark infringement a couple of days ago and serves as an instructive example of why one should do one’s market research before deciding to use one’s internal codenames as retail product nomenclature.

HTC ChaCha to be known as ChaChaCha in Spain, somebody didn’t do enough market research originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 07:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Engadget Spanish  |  source@htc_es (Twitter)  | Email this | Comments

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Mar 02

Google spikes 21 malicious apps with big download counts from the Market (update: Android 2.2.2 and up are immune)

Posted in: Android, android market, AndroidMarket, Google, market, Software, Today's Chili

We’re sure that the debate of a carefully controlled and curated environment like Apple’s App Store versus a free-for-all like the Android Market will rage on for years to come, but here’s something to chew on: Google just removed some 21 apps from the Market in the last day from a publisher going by Myournet for doing all sorts of naughty things to your device. Offenses include attempting to root your phone, uploading phone information (including IMEI) to who-knows-where, and — most egregiously — adding a backdoor that allows additional code to be pulled down and executed.

At least some of the apps are pirated versions of existing apps that have been re-uploaded at zero cost to the user, which makes them appealing… and the trick apparently works quite well, because the 21 managed to clock over 50,000 downloads before getting taken down. This isn’t the first time malicious apps have shown up on smartphones — far from it — but it’s probably the highest-profile case of a first-party app store being infiltrated by really bad stuff. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that Google was extraordinarily quick to respond once Android Police reported the situation — the site says it took less than five minutes from the time they reached out to the time the apps actually went offline. Still, that’s little consolation if you’ve already installed your “free” copy of Super History Eraser. Hit the source links for the full list of pulled apps.

Update: Android Central points out that the type of root exploit used in these apps was patched in Android 2.2.2 and up, so Nexus One and Nexus S owners should be fine; everyone else is left out in the cold, though, thanks to the vexing third-party update lag. Thanks, Z!

Google spikes 21 malicious apps with big download counts from the Market (update: Android 2.2.2 and up are immune) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 06:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAndroid Police, Mashable  | Email this | Comments

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Mar 02

HTC Magic / T-Mobile G1 gets Honeycomb port, Android past and future fused together (video)

Posted in: Android, honeycomb, HTC, mobile os, MobileOs, os, sdk, Software, Today's Chili, video

The original gangster of Android, T-Mobile’s G1, just refuses to quietly fade into the annals of history. Even in spite of its long overdue end of retail life last summer, the handset continues to see support from grassroots modders and tweakers, with the latest project being the most ambitious of them all: an Android Honeycomb port. A pair of xda members have succeeded in splicing Android’s most senior hardware with its very latest software and the results are available to see on video after the break. As usual with these builds, half of the phone’s functions have still to be enabled and the UI lag seems like it’ll be a permanent feature whatever happens, but still — it’s Honeycomb on the G1!

Continue reading HTC Magic / T-Mobile G1 gets Honeycomb port, Android past and future fused together (video)

HTC Magic / T-Mobile G1 gets Honeycomb port, Android past and future fused together (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 04:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Ali Waqas  |  sourcexda-developers  | Email this | Comments

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Mar 01

Saab shows off Android-based IQon in-car infotainment system

Posted in: Android, Today's Chili, video
It may not be the first to produce an Android-based in-car infotainment system, but Saab is diving headlong into the fray with its new IQon platform that it’s just unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. It not only packs the usual navigation and entertainment features, but is tied into a network of sensors in the car that measure everything from vehicle speed to inside and outside temperatures to the position of the sun. While that’s fairly impressive on its own, Saab is also going the extra mile and making all of that information to third-party developers though an API, which they’ll be able to use to produce their own applications — which will (you guessed it) be made available through Saab’s own app store. Unfortunately, it’s not clear when the new system will actually be available to consumers, but Saab is already using it in a fleet of test cars, and it’s now showing it off in its new PhoeniX concept car in Geneva. Head on past the break for a brief teaser video.

Continue reading Saab shows off Android-based IQon in-car infotainment system

Saab shows off Android-based IQon in-car infotainment system originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 01

Google gifts Xoom tablets to game devs at GDC 2011

Posted in: Android, developers, free, Google, motorola xoom, MotorolaXoom, nexus s, NexusS, tablet, Today's Chili, xoom

Google’s notoriously generous at developer events, tossing out free devices like candy on Halloween, but here at the Game Developer Conference in San Francisco it’s letting them flow like wine. Each attendee at Google’s Web Developer Day yesterday got a free Cr-48 laptop, and today the company dished out even greater prizes — either a free Motorola Xoom tablet or a Nexus S smartphone to every soul listening to some exceedingly well-attended technical sessions on Android. That’s certainly one way to attract game developers to your platform.

Google gifts Xoom tablets to game devs at GDC 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 01

Comcast releases Xfinity TV remote control app for Android devices

Posted in: Android, app, cable, dvr, phone, remote, remote control, RemoteControl, tablet, Today's Chili

After debuting on the iPad and iPhone, Comcast has finally released its Xfinity TV app for Android. Right now it only supports basic features like remote controlling cable boxes, scheduling DVR recordings and searching the VOD library but other features like video streaming to the app and tuning to VOD on the TV will be add later, just like on iOS. Unfortunately right now it’s optimized for phones, according to the notes it should work on tablets too but official support isn’t ready yet. Features on their way to both platforms include recommendations and better filtering of watchlists and personalized TV listings. Other than having to turn our cable box off and on at first, we got it to work without a hitch, for now it’s at least one more option to use a cool new device when you can’t find the regular remote — have you looked on top of the refrigerator?

Gallery: Xfinity TV app for Android

Continue reading Comcast releases Xfinity TV remote control app for Android devices

Comcast releases Xfinity TV remote control app for Android devices originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAndroid Market, Comcast Voices  | Email this | Comments

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Mar 01

Amazon Appstore for Android launching this month?

Posted in: amazon, Android, AppStore, Today's Chili

We’ve already had some indication that Amazon’s own app store for Android devices would be launching fairly shortly, and it now looks like it could be coming as soon as this month. That word comes from the seemingly in-the-know ad network Millennial Media, which tweeted earlier today that the Amazon Appstore for Android is “launching this month,” and linked to a blog post that details what’s in store for developers. Unfortunately, that post doesn’t actually contain a ton of specific details, but the ad network apparently sees the store as a “great opportunity,” particularly when it comes to the additional exposure apps would get through Amazon.com. In case you weren’t aware, Amazon’s also been maintaining an official developer blog for the Appstore (yeah, it’s all one word), which does provide quite a few technical details for those interested — check it out at the link below.

Amazon Appstore for Android launching this month? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Gizmodo  |  source@MillennialMedia (Twitter), Millennial Media  | Email this | Comments

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Mar 01

Xperia Play goes back to the FCC, this time with GSM (update)

Posted in: Android, canada, Games, gaming, gingerbread, sony, Sony Ericsson, SonyEricsson, Today's Chili, xperia
We’re all familiar with this handset by now, but what we weren’t suspecting (although we have yet to finish our first cup of coffee) to see a GSM version of the Xperia Play come through the FCC this sunny Tuesday morning. While we know that Verizon won’t be the sole carrier of the phone in the states (we heard that from Sony Ericsson CTO Jan Uddenfeldt himself), there is yet to be another carrier confirmed. So maybe this is an indication of another possible future? Or, most likely, this is just one of those “north of the border” jobs — as you know, the FCC gets its look at all Canada-bound phones, and this particular phone is exclusive to Rogers. Get a closer look after the break.

Update: Further examination of the docs reveal that this bad boy has global GSM bands and 900 / 2100MHz 3G, which is primarily used in Europe and Asia.

Continue reading Xperia Play goes back to the FCC, this time with GSM (update)

Xperia Play goes back to the FCC, this time with GSM (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 01

NVIDIA Tegra Zone officially launched, takes Android to new dual-core heights

Posted in: Android, android market, AndroidMarket, app, application, apps, Games, gaming, launch, NVIDIA, official, tegra, tegra 2, Tegra2, Today's Chili, video

It’s the first of March, which in NVIDIA land means no longer just talking about Tegra Zone, but actually activating it and letting users see what all the fuss is about. For those who’ve not yet heard of it, the Tegra Zone is an Android application that curates and highlights content that would most benefit from having the dual-core power of that Tegra 2 chip within your device. At launch, that means a hand-picked selection of games whose makers have gone the extra mile and thrown in additional geometric detail, heavier computation loads, and higher-resolution textures specifically for Tegra 2 smartphones and tablets. The snazzier, more interactive games will still be sourced from the Android Market, the Tegra Zone is no more than a portal unto the vast world of Android content, but it’s hoped that its presence will help convey the full value of owning a dual-core mobile device. Even if that value will go down considerably when NVIDIA introduces its quad-core SOC in August — but, one super chip at a time!

Continue reading NVIDIA Tegra Zone officially launched, takes Android to new dual-core heights

NVIDIA Tegra Zone officially launched, takes Android to new dual-core heights originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 09:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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